Cow-milking machine.



NO. 777.102. I v PATENTED D150. 13, 1904. W. s. HOWELL & W. a. McKENZIE.

COW MILKING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 1a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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34 WHIJQSSCS Patented December 13, 1904.

.a'rienir WILL S. HOWELL AND WlLLIAiVi C. h lcliENZllt, OF MOULTRIE,GEORGIA.

KDUW-"liiliLlltlNG WlACl lllhlE.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,102, dated December13, 1904. Application iilcd September 18. 1903. Serial No. 173,716. (Nomodel.)

To all 7071mm it may concern.

Be it known that we, WILL S. l'lOWEL'L and VILLIAM C. McKenzie, citizensof the United States, residing at Moultrie, in the county of Colquittand State of Georgia, have invented anew and useful Cow-Milkinlilachinc, of which the following is a SPGClliCZLlZlOD.

This invention relates to apparatus for milking cows, of the class moreparticularly wherein a vacuum is produced for drawing the milk from thecow, and has for its object to im prove the devices of this characterand produce an apparatus whereby the milk is drawn Without causingdiscomfort to the cow or irritating, the parts; and the inventionconsists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shownand described, and specilicd in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which correspondingparts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure l is a sideelevation, partly in section, of the apparatus, representingin a generalway the dill'crent features of the same. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalview of parts of the device illustrating this construction. Fin. 3 is anenlarged longitudinal sectional view of the teat-cup.

The improved device comprises a receptacle for the milk,which may be ofany size and located at any convenient point. The receptacle may belarge enough to receive the milk from any number of cows or from one cowonly, as required, and may be of any desired material, but willpreferably be of glass or similar material or compound.

The receptacle 10 is provided with a detachable cover 11 of suitableform, adapted for ready and frequent cleansing. and to this end willpreferably be of material which will not be affected by or dclctcriouslyaffect the milk, such as hard rubber or the like, and will fit the mouthor neck of the receptacle airtight, as indicated. The cover member ispro vided with a nipple 12 to support the hose '13 of an exhaust-pump 1.2, by which a vacuum may be produced in the receptacle. The covermember 11 is also provided with one or more nipples 15 to supportflexible conduits 16, one of the conduits being, provided for each cowto be milked. if the apparatus is to be employed for milking but onecow, the receptacle will be only large enough to receive one cows milk,but will be proportioned, as above noted, to the number of cows withwhich it is to be associated. The cover member 11 will therefore beprovided with as many of the nipples 15 as there are cows to be milkedby the single apparatus.

The nipples 12 15 will be respectively connected to tubular extensions'17 18, fitting the cover member air-tight and detachable for thepurpose of cleansing. Each of the tubular portions 18 will be providedwith a check-valve 15) to prevent the breaking" of the vacuum.

The pump l i will be of any suitable form, and as the construction ofthe pump forms no part of the present invention it is not furtherillustrated.

The conduits .16 each lead to a concentrationchambcrQO, (only onebeingshowin) the chamber havinga detaclnible cover 21 and a nipple 22for the connection of the conduit 16, as shown. The cover 21 is shownattached by a screw-threzul, which is the preferred method, but may beotherwise secured, if preferred.

fl lxtcnding from the cover 21 of the conccntratilie-chamber are fournipples 23, one

for each of the cows teats and from which flexible tubular sections 24extend to stopvalves 25, and from the opposite side of the stop-v: lvcsflexible tubular sections 26 extend to tubular glass sections 27, andfrom the opposite ends of the glass sections flexible tubular sections28 extend to the threaded plugs 29, the latter having longitudinalapertures 30 terminating in an enlargement or recess iii in their freeends. The stop-valves 2.5 and plugs 29 are provided,respectively, withnipples 32 33 to provide for the detachable connection of the flexiblesections, as shown.

Connected adjustably to the plu 2.9 are the teat-cups Set, formed ofinflexible material, such as hard metal or other material, which willnot be injurious to the cow and which may be readily cleansed. Tl 1ccups are formed relatively large at their frcccnds and graduallyconvergc toward their inner ends and internally threaded, as shown, toreceive the plugs 29. The sides of the cup are preferably curvedlongitudinally, as shown, with the interior diameter of the smaller endcorresponding to the teats of the cow, so that when applied to theirlower ends will just fill the interior of the cup.

To this end cups of Various sizes will be furnished to adapt the deviceto cows of different sizes. The plugs 29 will be provided with gauzediaphragms 35, which the ends of the teats will engage when the cup isapplied. By forming the cup member converging interiorly, with thesmaller part closely conforming to the size of the teat, the larger freeend for close engagement with the udder, and the interior of the cupslightly larger than the normal size of the teat, when the air isexhausted the teat will expand and completely fill the interior of thecup and form a natural packing to prevent the entrance of air, while atthe same time correspondingly expanding the milk-duct and insuring thefree flow of the milk from the udder.

The feature of an inflexible cup having an internal area slightlygreater than that of the normal teat has an important advantage over theusual soft-rubber or flexible cup, for the reason that the lattercontracts upon the teat and tends to close the milk-duct, while thepresent form of cup does not contract, but permits the teat and themilk-duct to expand, thereby insuring a free and unrestricted flow ofthe milk. To this end the gauze member 35 is an important feature, as itforms a stop to the teat and insures the more certain expansion of thesame when the air exhaustion occurs, and by providing means foradjusting the gauze member longitudinally of the cup the former can beproperly positioned relative to the teat, and thus adapt the device tothe various sizes encountered.

By means of the transparent section 2'7 and stop-valve 25 in each of thebranch conduits the progress of the milking may be observed andcontrolled, so that when the flow ceases the suction may be shut off toavoid irritating the cow. By this means also when the milk ceases toflow through one or more of the teats it may be shut off and the actioncontinued through the remaining ones. By this simple means the flow canbe perfectly controlled and unnecessary suction avoided.

It will be noted that every portion of the apparatus is readilyseparable, so that they can be thoroughly cleansed, and no opportunityremains for the lodgment of particles of matter to deteriorate the milk.Another advantage gained by forming the parts easily separable is thatin event of the breakage or wearing of any part it may be easily andcheaply replaced without affecting the remaining parts.

The device is simple in construction, easily applied and operated, andwill not injure the cow or subject her to annoyance or irritate her.

In the foregoing description is shown the preferred form of theinvention, but is not necessarily limited thereto, as modifications maybe made therein without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is therefore reservedof making all changes which may fairly fall within the scope of theinvention and the claims made therefor.

Having thus described the invention, what weclaim is 1. A teat-cup ofinflexible material internally tapered longitudinally with the smallerinternal diameter conforming to the teat of the cow, and means operatingwithin said cup for engaging the tip of the teat and controlling itslongitudinal position within the cup.

2. A teat-cup of inflexible material internally tapered longitudinallywith the smaller internal diameter conforming to the teat of the cow,and a gauze diaphragm disposed within said cup,and adjustable tonormally engage the tip of the teat and limit its downward movement.

3. A teat-cup of inflexible material internally tapered longitudinallywith the smaller internal diameter conforming to the teat of the cow, aplug adjustably connected into the smaller end of said cup and providedat its outer end with a nipple, and a gauze closure for the inner end ofsaid plug, substantially as described.

4. A teat-cup of inflexible material internally tapered longitudinallywith the smaller internal diameter conforming to the teat of the cow, aplug connected into the smaller end of said cup, said plug having alongitudinal aperture flared at the inner end, and a gauze closure forsaid flared end, substantially as described.

5. A teat-cup having a cross-sectional area to snugly fit a teat whenunder suction and provided with a tubular plug piercing the rear end ofthe cup. the inner end of the plug constituting a teat-stop and itsouter end being provided with a nipple for engagement with asuction-conduit, the cup being removable in an endwise directionoutwardly from the plug.

6. A teat-cup having a cross-sectional area to snugly lit a teat whenunder suction, and provided in its closed end with a screw-threadedopening, and an endwise-adjustable tubular plug having anexternally-screw-threaded part adjustably fitting the screw-threadedopening of the cup, the inner end of the plug constituting a teat-stopand its outer end having a nipple for the attachment of asuctionconduit, the inner portion of the plug having a diameter to passthrough the opening in the cup and the latter endwise removable in anoutward direction from the plug.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILL S. HOWVELL. WVILLIAM C. MCKENZIE. \Vitnesses:

J. D. MoKENzIE, R. G. CLARK.

